The Gambia makes progress with multiple Millennium Development Goals

The Gambia exceeded many African nations in making progress toward multiple Millennium Development Goals, according to a recent report by the African Development Bank Group.

Gambia registered a 26.9 percent reduction in infant mortality between 1990 and 2010. One of the contributing factors was The Gambia's improvement in vaccinating one-year old children against measles, ranking sixth best among African countries.

One of the major factors in reducing the incidence of malaria, another contributing factor in infant mortality, in Africa is the use of insecticide-treated bed nets. The Gambia ranked seventh among African countries between 2000 and 2010 for the highest percentage change in the share of children under-five sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets.

The Gambia was also one of the few African Nations that met the World Health Organization target goal of at least a 70 percent detection rate of tuberculosis and an 85 percent treatment success rate by the year 2008.

Additionally, The Gambia demonstrated a major gain in youth literacy with an increase of 13 percent and the achievement of near parity in school life expectancy.

The report said that global partnership and international cooperation are critical for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.